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Computer Numerical Control Programming
Tips
A good CNC programmer should talk, ask questions to them and
most importantly listen to what they have to say. Programmers
who never put their foot in the actual machining process and
think they are always right are all on the wrong track.
Exchanging ideas with CNC machine operators, asking questions
and seeking answers is the only way to be fully aware of what is
going on in the machine.
When a program is completed and sent to the Computer Numerical
Control Machine, the programming process is over. All
calculations were made and the algorithm fully written. But the
question is the programmer’s job really finished? When is the
programmer’s responsibility really over? And how can we evaluate
the type of program that the Computer Numerical Control Machine
programmer did?
The fairest and reasonable answer to those questions would
basically when a part has been machined under the most optimized
working conditions. Therefore the Programmer’s responsibility
does not end after he or she finishes the program. We could say
that the program at this stage is still very much in the
development process, because most of the programming
considerations were based on certain assumptions and there are a
lot of external factors that may affect the outcome of the
product.
Every Computer Numerical Control programmer should have an
effort to be in the touch with the actual production. In the
field of software development, Constant communication with your
colleagues as well as actual machine operators of the CNC will
help you to improve your own program. Because most of the time
the CNC machine operators are a good source of constructive
ideas, improvements and suggestions.
A good CNC programmer should talk, ask questions to them and
most importantly listen to what they have to say. Programmers
who never put their foot in the actual machining process and
think they are always right are all on the wrong track.
Exchanging ideas with CNC machine operators, asking questions
and seeking answers is the only way to be fully aware of what is
going on in the machine.
Whenever you start a Computer Numerical Control Program the
first time it is important to check its Program Integrity. A new
and unproved program is a potential source of problems. During
Manual Programming in CNC, mistakes are more common than when
the program is made in a CAM program.
A good way to look at a new program is through the machine
operator’s perspective. Experienced Machine Operators take a
direct approach when running a program for the first time. That
means that they wont take any chances of mistakes with the
actual running of a program therefore a good programmer must
take note of any comments that the Machine operator will say
about the program.
What does an experienced Machine Operator look for in a new part
of a program? Most of the Machine operators would say that the
first and most important thing to be checked on a Computer
Numerical Control Program is its consistency. Therefore a
machine operator looks at how a CNC programmer does its own
programming, is the way you create your own algorithms the same
as the other ones. Machine Operators take note with this kind of
Information.
Upgrading your CNC Program
Whenever you upgrade your own program, it means that you are
strengthening or enriching it, therefore making it better than
it was before. Upgrading would be based on this standard, It is
to decrease the production cost without compromising the quality
of the part being manufactured or the safety of the Computer
Numerical Control Machine Operator.
One of the Most Common forms of Program Optimization is doing
some minor changes to the spindle as well as the feed rates of
the machines. This process is called cycle time optimization,
slightly increasing the spindle speed and feed rates of these
machines will decrease the time it takes to finish the part.
And when we compare it to mass production, saving one second for
each part in a batch of 3600 pieces would mean an hour saved.
Efficiency in the rate of production is a very important aspect
in Mass Production.
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